Horse-hitching device.



No. 683,552. Patented Oct. I, IBM.

J. CALDWELL. HORSE HITGHING DEVICE.

A licaiion filed Jan. 18, 1901.

(No Model.)

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACK CALDWELL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELMER G. EGE, OF SAME PLACE.

HORSE-HITCHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,552, dated October 1, 1901.

Application filed January 18,1901. Serial No. 43.778. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern: under side of the axle C and a shortdis- Be it known that I, J AOK CALDWELL, a cititance from the inner side of the hub of wheel zen of the United States of America, residing D. The upper side of the plate e is corruat Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and gated, and with the inner side of the plate 6 55 State of Missouri, have invented certain new is connected separate extensions e 6, narrow and useful Improvements in Horse-Hitching in width, which pass close in position and on Devices; and I do hereby declare that the folthe under side of the axle C and a short dislowing is a full, clear, and exact description tance beyond the vertical plane of the front of the invention, such as will enable others side of said axle. The extensions 6' e are 60 10 to make and use the same, reference being perforated on each side of the said axle, as had to the accompanying drawings, forming at 6 Extending downwardly on each side a part of this specification. of the axle C are U-shaped fastening devices The objects of my invention are, first, .to or clips F F, the ends f f of which are control the restive and forward movements screw-threaded and pass through the perfo- 65 of an animal harnessed to a vehicle and prerations e e in each'of the forward extensions vent accidents from sudden starts and dise e of the plate 6, and a short distance below position to run, and, second, to apply the the under side of said extensions and upon means of control with the exercise of gradual said ends are fitted the nuts f which secure degrees of force automatically and independthe said extensions e firmly to the axle. 7o

ently of the driving-reins. I In the upper side of the extensions e e at The invention consists in the novel 0011- a point equidistant from the plate e and axle struction and combination of parts, such as C are curved depressions 6 6*, extending will be first fully described, and specifically transversely to said extensions, which form pointed out in the claims. shaft-bearings, and in said bearings is mount- 25 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of ed a crank-shaft G, one end g of which shaft the forward portion of a vehicle, showing the extends beyond the outer side of one exten- A shafts and the animal harnessed thereto, also sion 2, which is opposite the hub of wheel D showing the devices upon the front axle conand is bent at right angles to said shaft and nected with the checkrein leading to the extended normally in the plane of step e a 0 head of the animal. Fig. 2 is a detail broken short distance from the shaft and the extreme view, enlarged, of the front axle and the nigh end g bent at right angles and extended a wheel of the vehicle, showing the novel coslight distance in the direction of the wheel acting devices controlling the animal on the D, the sides of said end g" being inclined to wheel and axle. Fig. 3 is asectional view of a point, as at 9 The other end of crank- 35 the hub and disk. shaft G extends a short distance from the Similar letters of reference indicate correouter side of the other extensions e in the disponding partsin all the figures of the drawrection of the under side of the Wheel A, and ings. upon said end of the shaft is rigidly con- Referring to the drawings, A represents nected one end of arm or lever H, the other 40 the Vehicle, and B the shafts, to which the end of which extends forwardly beneath the animal is harnessed. axle C a considerable distance and in an 0p- 0 represents the front axle, and D the posite direction to the position of the bent front right wheel, to which the grooved disk portion of shaft G. In the end h of lever or hereinafter described is conveniently atarm 11 is a transverse opening it. Upon 5 5 tached. 1 crank-shaft G, between the shaft-bearings E represents a step, upon which the right e c in the extensions 6 e of plate 6, are sepa foot of the person in mounting or alighting rate rigidly-connected collars g g and arfrom a vehicle is commonly placed, and in ranged a short distance from each other and this instance consists of a horizontal plate e said shaft-bearings.

50 of the width of the persons foot arranged in Upon the upper side of the extensions 6 e position in rear of and in the plane of the are the cap-platesidwhich extend inacurved line over the shaft G and retain said shaft in the bearings e c. The inner ends 2' t of the cap-plates d 45 extend a short distance in the horizontal plane of the plates i 2' toward the axle C and are secured to said plates by the screw-bolts 2' 11 which extend upwardly from the plates 6 e through the said portions 5 i and upon said bolts are securing-nuts t". The outer ends of the cap-plates i 11 extend in the horizontal plane of the plates e e nearly to the plate e, and with the said ends is connected rigidly the lower end of a vertical plate or standard K, which extends in a transverse direction to the extensions 6' e. The upper end of plate K extends in height a short distance above the horizontal plane of the upper side of the axle O, and the outer edges of said plate incline inwardly and connect with the circular upper end portion 7a, through which portion extends a circular opening Upon theinner side of the plate K, toward the axle O, is a vibrating flat plate or arm L, the upper end of which arm is semicircular in form, and upon the inner side is a pivot Z, which extends through the opening It in the standard K. The lower end of the arm L extends downwardly between the separate collars g g and is gradually decreased in Width, and upon said lower end is a curved knob Z, which alternately contacts with said collars g g With the upper end of the arm L are rigidly connected the lower ends of separate bars M M, which extend upwardly a short distance in radial lines to the axis of the arm' L, and upon the upper ends of said bars are rigidly connected the foot-plates m m, which extend at right angles to said bars and in a plane horizontal with the step e, the upper surfaces of which foot-plates are corrugated, as seen in the drawings.

Upon the inner side of wheel D, adjacent to the portion of shaft G and secured to the spokes d of said wheel, is a circular disk N, which is concentric with the hub d of said wheel. Said disk consists of an annular face n, which extends in width from a position a short distance from the hub d in the direction of the rim d of the wheel a short distance beyond the radius of the end g of shaft G. From the inner side of the face nextend the annular plates at n", the outer edges of which are bent outwardly at right angles to form flanges n 92. which come into contact with the spokes d of wheel D. In the flanges 12. n are longitudinal slots or openings n made in series a short distance apart in the direction of the annular face of the disk. 'lhrough the slots or openings a pass the clips n", which are extended around each spoke, not only securing the disk to the wheel, but conforming the disk to the disk of the spokes d. Extending through the face n of the disk N are the grooves M, which also extend from the inner circumference to the outer circumference in oblique lines, and the sides of which grooves are spaced, so as to admit the end 9 of the crank-shaft G. In order to efiecta compulsory entrance of the end g of said shaft upon the portions of the disk between the grooves and parallel with the sides of said grooves are longitudinal ribs n extending above the plane of the face a of the disk, the side of each rib inclining inwardly and meeting at a point. With the forward end of one of the extensions 6 of the plate 6, adjacent to the lever H, is a pin 0, which is connected with one end of a coiled spring 0, the other end of which spring extends to the lever H and is connected with a hook 0 upon the upper side of said lever, whereby the said lever is retained in a normally horizontal position, the spring expanding sufficiently to permit of its full operation.

1) represents the ordinary checkrein of the harness, as shown in the drawings, and which, as is well known, operates to hold the head of the animal in an elevated position and which is looped over the check-hook b in the saddle b. At the point F, from which the checkrein ordinarily extends in separate parts, is connected one end of a hitchingrein P, the other end of which rein extends through the ring b on one side of the saddle b, thence downwardly on the inner side of the shaft B through the loop bbn the under side of said shaft, and is connected with the opening h in the outer end of the lever H on the crank-shaft G on the extensions e e on axle O.

12 represents the ordinary driving-reins, which are connected with the bits Z2 on the head-strap b the free ends of the reins being held in any suitable manner upon the dash board act the vehicle, so as to be readily seized by the hand in stepping into the vehicle.

In the employment of the invention the person upon whom the control of the horse devolves seizes the reins 11 while upon the ground and upon the right-hand side of the vehicle, placing the right foot upon the step, and enters the vehicle. The position of the crank-shaft G and the lever H when the invention is not in use is that seen in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the crank-arm g being disengaged from the disk N. Upon the sudden start of the horse or from any cause the animal becomes unmanageable with the reins the driver places the right foot upon the corrugated surfaces m of the bars M M and cscillates the said bars laterally, which action throws the arm L forward against one of the collars g and moves the crank-shaft in the bearings e in the direction of the wheel D, the end g of said crank-shaft being forced into one of the series of oblique slots, and consequently from the normal position of the crank at the outer end of said slot. Sim ultaneously with the forward movement of the horse and the rotation of the wheel D the end g of the crank-arm is carried upwardly and forwardly, and as the angle of the slot changes its position in respect to the crank-arm the end g of said arm comes into contact with the inner end of the slot, and in about onefourth of a revolution the wheel is locked to the crank-shaft and the rotation of the wheel impeded. In the same forward movement of the crank-shaft the lever-arm I'Imoves downwardly and rearwardly, as seen in dotted lines, Fig. 1,the spring 0 yielding as required, drawing firmly upon the hitching-rein P and raising the head of the horse to ahigh position upward and backward, so as to prevent any vision of the ground and retaining this position until the horse becomes guided and manageable. In the forward movement of the crank-arm as the end of the arm draws nearer the inner end of the slot 11 or toward the axis of the Wheel D the degree of force applied to the hitching-rein P is correspondingly relaxed in severity, and while positive in its action it corresponds to the pull on the rein, permits of a gradual application of the power to the head of the horse, and holds him in control. Should, upon the other hand, the braced position of the head cause the horse to move backward, this restive movement causes a partial rotation of wheel I) and permits a slack in the hitching-rein P and the head of the horse to regain a natural position, when the lever H comes in contact with the under side of the axle O, and the wheel D remains looked, as before, and the horse meets a resistance to a rearward movement sufficient to check the movement of the vehicle. When the horse becomes manageable, the foot is applied to the bars M, and a forward movement throws the crank-shaft from engagement with the disk N, and the horse is readily driven and wheel D free to turn. In alighting from the vehicle the reins b are connected with the dashboard a, which prevents the sidewise movement of the head of the animal, and the crank-arm is thrown in engagement with the disk N, and the animal is safely left under the control of the hitching devices and with none of the disadvantages of hitching the animal to a post.

The invention is applicable to all vehicles and is quickly applied without injury to the spokes, the latter being strengthened by the disk N.

If preferred, the vibrating lever L may be pivoted to the axle direct and the crank-shaft moved nearer in position to axle 0, doing away with standard K, and such modifications employed as are within the scope of the invention.

Having fully described myinvention, what I now claim as new,an d desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination with a vehicle, and with the wheel and axle of said vehicle, of a slidable crank-shaft in suitable bearings, upon the axle of the vehicle, having a crankarm and devices upon the said wheel engaging with said arm, a lever-arm connected With said crank-shaft, and means upon said axle for moving said crank-arm in and out of engagement with the devices upon said wheel.

2. The combination with a vehicle, and with the wheel and axle of a vehicle, of a slidable crank shaft in suitable bearings upon said axle having a crank-arm, a disk upon the wheel opposite in position to said shaft, having a series of slots therein, means for moving said crank-arm in and out of the slots in said disk, and a lever-arm connected with the crank-shaft.

3. The combination in a hitching apparatus for an animal to be driven with a vehicle, comprising a step-plate upon the forward axle of the vehicle, and a slidable crankshaft having cranks in suitable bearings upon said plate, and a vibrating arm, a support therefor to which said arm is pivotally connected, an operating-bar connected with said arm, a lever-arm connected with and extend ing in opposite directions from said crankshaft to that of the crank, a spring controlling said lever-arm, a checkrein for the head of the animal to be driven, and a hitchingrein connected with said checkrein, and the end of the lever-arm on the crank-shaft.

4. The combination in a hitching apparatus for an animal to be driven, with a vehicle comprising a horizontal step-plate upon the forward axle of the vehicle, and a slidable crankshaft having a crank-arm in suitable bearings upon said step-plate, separate fixed collars upon said crank-shaft,a standard upon said step-plate, and a vibrating arm pivotally connected at its upper end with said standard and engaging at its lower end with said collars upon said crank-shaft, and an operating-bar connected'with said vibrating arm, a disk upon the wheel of the vehicle adjacent to the crank on the crank-shaft, and slots in said disk in oblique lines, adapted to receive the end of said crank, a lever-arm connected with the crank-shaft and extending normally beneath said axle in opposite directions to said crank, an alternately expanding and contracting spring upon said axle connected with the lever-arm, and a hitching-rein connected with the said leverarm.

5. The combinationin a hitching apparatus for an animal to be driven with a vehicle comprising ahorizontally-extended step-plate connected with the under side of the front axle of a vehicle and extending rearwardly therefrom, a disk concentric with the hub, having annular sides and annular flanges removably secured to the spokes of the wheel of said vehicle, adjacent to said step-plate and also having oblique grooves, and a slidable locking device upon said step-plate, and means for moving said device in and out of said slots.

J AGK CALDIVELL Witnesses:

E. G. EGE, JOHN T. MARSHALL. 

